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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26146777">Beer-Basted Burgers And Brilliant Blondes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs'>wackyjacqs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bizarre Holidays [241]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargate SG-1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s08e18 Threads, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:28:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,203</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26146777</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Their first day at the cabin sees them arrive late in the afternoon.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bizarre Holidays [241]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1234973</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>124</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Beer-Basted Burgers And Brilliant Blondes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for ‘Burger Day’ (27 August).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Their first day at the cabin sees them arrive late in the afternoon.</p><p>After giving Sam the grand tour, Jack leaves her to explore the space in her own time and at her own pace while he goes outside to clean the grill and start dinner.</p><p>He shakes his head at the thought that Sam is finally here, at his cabin, <em>with him.</em></p><p>It almost feels as if he’s waited so long for this moment that it now doesn’t seem real. <em>Almost.</em> He finds himself grinning as he hears Carter moving around inside and he tells himself to focus on the food.</p><p>He pierces one of the burgers with the skewer and studies it for a moment before he places it back onto the grill and lifts his beer. He eyes it speculatively and tips it towards the meat, only to stop before any of the liquid escapes the bottle. There’s a light laughter that floats over the air from behind him and he turns to see Sam watching him with amusement.</p><p>“I <em>knew</em> that was your secret ingredient!”</p><p>“I haven’t used a drop,” he says solemnly, “and they are still going to be the best damn burgers you’ve ever eaten.” He grins when Sam laughs again and casually steps up to his side. “All good?”</p><p>She nods. “I just came to see if you needed help with anything.”</p><p>“Nah, I got it,” he says softly.</p><p>She looks away and Jack follows her gaze to see her set down a fresh bottle of beer. He nudges her elbow with his in thanks as he flips the burgers. Sam then walks the few steps to the dock and stands at the water’s edge as she lets her attention drift to the pond, so Jack uses the opportunity to study her. She looks happy and content and he feels a little more tension fall from his shoulders. They haven’t had any deep or hours-long conversations since his promise of ‘always’ back at the SGC, but the few words they have exchanged have been meaningful and they both know that they are now firmly on the road they want to be. <em>Together.</em></p><p>Still, when he invited Sam to the cabin and she’d said yes, he made it abundantly clear that the break at the cabin was for her – and by extension, all of them – to relax and forget about work and, as far as he was concerned, there was no pressure or expectation to explore their new-found standing with each other over the week. If something happened, it happened; if it didn’t happen until they got back to the Springs, well, it didn’t happen until they got back to the Springs. Sam had quietly agreed, and he thought there might be some awkwardness or tension between them, but he’d been more than happy to report that ever since he picked her up for their getaway, Sam had barely uttered the words ‘Sir’ or ‘General’ once.</p><p>He’s pulled from his thoughts when he hears Sam sigh. “Everything okay?”</p><p>“Yeah,” she says, her gaze still on the water, “more than okay.”</p><p>She then turns and looks at him from over her shoulder and flashes that megawatt smile of hers before she slides her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and makes her way back up to him.</p><p>“Dinner shouldn’t be much longer,” he offers as he flips the burgers once more.</p><p>“I’ll go start the salad,” she says, brushing her arm against his as she turns around and heads into the cabin.</p><p>He smiles as he watches her leave before he turns and tips the new bottle of beer over the meat.</p><hr/><p>Jack knows his cooking skills and hosting abilities leave a lot to be desired, but even he has to admit that an evening consisting of beer-basted burgers and the brilliant blonde astrophysicist sitting opposite him is going to rank as one of the best nights he’s ever had.</p><p>They talk about everything and nothing; they argue over what’s better – The Simpsons now or then; they even talk about the stars and how they fell into stargazing. She shares stories of her and Mark growing up as Air Force brats and he confides in her about Charlie as a little boy. But work is never mentioned once. There isn’t even a hint that the subject is going to be broached – by either of them.</p><p>He notices the way Sam’s eyes sparkle as she smiles, or how she blushes when he decides to tease her, or how he has heard her laugh more over the past two hours than he has over the past eighteen months.</p><p>So, it’s no surprise to Jack that he finds himself more than happy to just watch Sam over dinner and listen to her talk. She's relaxed and there’s no nerves or anxiousness that he can detect – and he likes to think that, after everything, he is still able to read her pretty well.</p><p>He leans back in his chair and takes a sip of beer as Sam takes another bite of her burger. A little moan escapes her as she momentarily closes her eyes and chews and Jack tries not to notice or stare. He takes a second, longer pull from his beer.</p><p>“I’ve been thinking,” Sam says a moment later, “and you’re right.”</p><p>His brows furrow slightly as he tries to figure out what part of their conversation she’s referring to, but he can’t decide, so he asks, “I am?”</p><p>“Yeah,” she nods as she lifts the burger back to her mouth, “this is the best damn burger I’ve ever eaten.”</p><p>Slowly, his lips curve into a smile as he reaches for his own food again. “I told ya.”</p><hr/><p>Shortly after they eat, tidy away the dishes after dinner, and finish off another beer, the tiredness hits from their earlier journey and they decide to call it a night but as they each head to their respective rooms for the week they both hesitate. Jack hangs back slightly because Sam pauses outside her bedroom door first but he’s still taking his cues from her, so he doesn’t say or do anything.</p><p>“I don’t know what I’m meant to do,” Sam utters quietly as she folds her arms across her chest and doesn’t quite meet his eye.</p><p>“Sam,” he says, matching her tone. He waits for her to look at him. “There’s no pressure here, remember?” When she smiles nervously, he adds, “This week is mainly for you to take it easy: no expectations, no demands.”</p><p>He holds his breath and waits as she thinks over his words, and he can see her mind working through their situation when she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. Finally, she nods. Then, she surprises him and takes a half-step forward and angles her head so she can place a brief, but gentle, kiss against his cheek.</p><p>“Good night, Jack,” she whispers before she opens the door to her room and slips inside.</p><p>He waits for the door to click shut before he moves to his own room. He can still feel Sam’s lips against his skin and he can’t help but smile.</p><p>He knows he’s not going to sleep much tonight.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, no promises, but I am trying really hard to keep up to date with this series again so I can finish it this year. </p><p>As for this chapter, it can stand alone, but I’ve looked ahead and the next four ‘holidays’ are also food or drink related, so my plan is to dedicate one to each day they are at the cabin.</p><p>Lastly, thank you to every single one of you still following this series and sticking with me; for the kudos and comments I wake up to every morning and always, always make me smile; and to those who are discovering the series for the first time, welcome, and I am sorry for the hours you’ve lost by choosing to read all these different chapters! 😂</p></blockquote></div></div>
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